Mop with wringer means



Aug. 11, 1953 s. P. VIDAL MOP WITH WRINGER. MEANS Filed March 5, 1951 mmvrox. ,5 2'3 van .7? IfiJda/L v15 .6. BY

Patented Aug. 11, 1953 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOP WITH WRINGER MEANS Steven P. Vidal, Albuquerque, N. Mex.

- Application March 5, 1951, Serial No. 213,918

Claims. (Cl. -244) This invention relates to improvements in mops havings means associated therewith for squeezing liquid therefrom.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mop of absorbent material having a novel backing plate and supporting means thereon whereby the mop may be so supported on the rim of a pail or receptacle and the liquid squeezed therefrom.

Another object is the provision of a mop arranged on a flexible backing plate which is adapted to flexibly conform to the contour of a receptacle upon which itis supported to facilitate the squeezing of liquid from the absorbent mop material.

A further object is the provision of a mop embodying a flexible absorbent material backing plate having a hook member extending therefrom to enable the mop to be supported on a pail and to be so actuated that the mop material may be compressed against the inside of the pail and liquid squeezed therefrom. v

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent as the specification is considered with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire mop structure;

Figure 2 is an end view of the mop;

Figure 3 is a side view of the mop;

Figure 4 is a cross sectionalview of the mop and pail; and l V Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 ofFigure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several .views, numeral l indicates the mop material which is preferably of cellulose sponge or the like cut into a substantially rectangular block, although it is apparent that the mop material may assume other shapes. The mop material is suitably aflixed by an adhesive or the like, not shown, to the underside of a substantially rectangular backing plate 2.

This plate is formed of flexible metal which is provided with a series of corrugations or shallow grooves 3 which extend or are oriented in the same general direction of the handle and at the forward edge of the mop, and at the same time tend to enhance the flexibility of the plate so that the same will flex transversely, or perpendicular to the mop handle. This is essential in order that the mop will conform with uniform pressure to the concave shape of the pail or receptacle 4 upon which the mop will interengage by means of hook II at the heel of the mop, the operation of which is hereinafter described. A relatively narrow arcuate strap or brace of sprin material 5 is formed with laterally extending feet 6 on the ends thereof which extend downwardly and laterally through spaced openings 1 in the plate 2 and are suitably secured by welding or the like, not shown, to the underside of the plate. The strap or spring 5 acts as a brace or support to impart sufficient transverse rigidity to the entire plate surface during squeezing operation, and to return it to its normal fiat surface, as well as prevent transverse flexing or bending of the plate during cleaning or scrubbing operations. The combined transverse flexibility of the plate and the added rigidity of the spring assures maximum elimination of liquid from the absorbent mop because of the need of compression against a concave surface. The hook in itself can be interengaged with the rim of the pail by manipulation of the handle and thereby permits the freezing of water from the absorbent material of the mop by compression against-the inside of the pail and without need of any other device, platform, or additional hooks to such devices.

A socket member 8 of metal or other suitable material suitably secured to the upper face of plate 2 adjacent the rear end thereof is formed with a tubular socket 9 for the reception of the end of a handle [0. The socket member preferably extends upwardly and rearwardly at an angle with respect to the plate 2 so thatthe handle [0 and mop may be handled with ease to move the latter over a surface to be cleaned.

At the heel of the mop and extending rearwardly from the socket member 8 and rigidly formed thereon is a relatively flat hook member II which is curved downwardly and inwardly, as at 12, to form a hook adapted to extend and interengage over the beaded rim l3 of the pail 4, as best shown in Figure 4. The lower end or tip of the hook I2 is spaced slightly from the end of the sponge mop and terminates at a point intermediate the top and bottom of the mop so that the latter may be compressed against the inside or concave surface of the pail when the handle is moved.

When it is desired to remove liquid from the mop, it is only necessary to insert the latter into the pail and so manipulate the handle that the hook [2 extends over the pail and interengages its rim l3 as a fulcrum. In this position, the mop is in its normal flat position. By moving the handle in a clockwise direction, or from left to right viewing Figure 4, about the pivot I2 and rim [3 of the pail as a fulcrum, the mop is compressed against the inside wall of the pail so that the mop will conform to the curvature of the pail and will contact the same throughout the area of the active mop surface. This arcuate conformity or shape of the sponge mop is made possible by action of the handle through the hook l2 and by virtue of the corrugations 3 in the backing plate 2 which permits of transverse bending of the latter against the tension of the strap 5. It will thus be seen that the corrugations 3 extending from end to end of the plate brace the latter so as to prevent the same=.from bending in the direction of the mop handle. In other words, the corrugations permit of the. plate being flexed or bent transversely .only. When so moved against the pail, the sponge material will be compressed so that liquid will besqueezed therefrom and caused to flow into the pail. Upon the removal of. pressure from the mop handle or the movement of the latter in a counter-clockwise direction, also viewing Figure 4, it will be apparent that the tension of the strap 5 will cause the plate 2 and. mop to resume their normalflat position.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my.mop, it is to be understood that various changes. and improvements may be. made therein without departing from .the .scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus describedmy invention what I claim is:

1. A mop device comprising a blocker absorbent material, a, backing plate arranged on said block, saidplate being grooved iorpermitting transverse flexing thereof, a hook member on said backing plate forinterengagement with the rim of a receptacle, and a handle on said plate for moving saidplate and compressing said block againstthe-receptacle wall.

2. .A mop device comprising a-block of, absorbent material, a substantially fiat backingplate arranged on said block, .said plate having-grooves therein to permitof transverseflexing ofsaid plate, a hook member extending from one-end of said plate and being adaptedto interengage with therimof a pail, .and ,a-handle ,on said plate for pivotally movingsaidplate; andvcompressing said block against the pail .wall, said grooves extending substantially in the direction or said handle.

3. A mop device comprising ablock ofabsorbent material, anormally substantially ,flat backing plate arranged onand secured to one ,face of said b1ock,'said plate having corrugations therein to permit of transverse flexing of said plate, a hook member extending from the rear end of said plate and overlying the rear end of said block and being adapted to interengage with the rim of a pail, and a handle on said plate for pivotally moving said plate and compressing said block against the pail wall, said corrugations extending substantially in the direction of said handle.

4. A mop device comprising ablock of absorbent material, a normally substantially flat backing plate arranged on and secured to one face of said block, said plate having corrugations therein to permit oftransverse flexing of said plate, a hook member extending from the rear end of said plate and overlying the rear end of said block and being adapted to interengage with the rim of a pail, and a handle on said plate for pivotally moving said plate and compressing said block against the pail wall, said corrugations extending substantially in .the-direction of said handle and meanson'sa-idplate for causingthe same to resume its normal flat position after the compression of said block.

5. A mop device comprising a block ofuabsorbent material, a normally substantially flat backing plate arrangedon and secured-to the upper face of said block, saidplatehaving. corrugations therein extending from one end'to the other .to

.permit of transverse flexing only of saidjplate, a

References Cited in the file .of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,814,413 Schulman July'14, 1931 2,163,638 Vaughn JunaZ'l; 1939 2,442,467 Lux June'l, 1948 2,469,060 Vosbikian -May3,.l949

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 244,556 :Swltzerland Apr.=l6,1947 

